The hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani, who had been ill for some time, died in Srinagar on Wednesday evening.
Members of Geelani’s non-Nagenarian family confirmed that Kashmir’s largest separatist leader died at his Hyderpora residence in Srinagar around 10:30 p.m. Located mostly under house arrest since 2013, Geelani, a people robber, has not maintained good health for the past three years.
For many years no one outside the family could see him. In recent years, several rumors about Geelani’s death had spread panic in Kashmir.
PDP regional president and former J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, while expressing grief over his death, tweeted: “Sad for the news of Geelani Sahab’s death. We may not have agreed on most of things, but respect for his steadfastness and faithfulness to his beliefs. May Allah Ta’aala grant him mercy and condolences to his family and welcome (sic) “.
Sad for the news of the death of Geelani sahab. We may not have agreed on most things, but respect for their firmness and faithfulness to their beliefs. May Allah Ta’aala grant mercy and condolences to his family and those who wish.
– Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) September 1, 2021
Geelani, who was born on September 29, 1929, received his preliminary training in Sopore, North Kashmir, and completed his studies at Oriental College, Lahore, Pakistan.
He contested the election several times and came to the legislature three times.
Geelani contested controversial elections in 1972, when the late Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, founder of the National Conference, called for an electoral boycott.
Justifying his incorporation into the electoral ray, he once said: “The plebiscite front had deviated from the basic position in 1969, when it decided to contest the municipal elections. Some leaders of the plebiscite front also informed the people of the Sheikh Abdullah’s hesitation, but the people did not take note, so the Plebiscite Front had no valid reason to call for an electoral boycott. elections ”.
Geelani was an important member of the Hurriyat Conference and succeeded Mirwaiz Umer Farooq as president in 1997. However, in 2003 he split to form his own faction of the separatist amalgam.
He severely criticized Pakistani military dictator General (R) Parvez Musharraf for his “Four-Point Formula” in Kashmir.
His stance against what he called “exhaustion” earned him widespread recognition and support among extremist circles in Pakistan and Kashmir. Geelani believed in the merger of Kashmir with Pakistan. However, he did not shy away from sometimes criticizing Islamabad’s policies.
Watch the latest videos from DH: